The present invention relates to hologram laminates wherein, in order to verify that goods are genuine, a hologram label has been applied onto substrates, for example, those having monetary values, such as gold notes or securities, those as identification means for identifying the holder, such as identification cards or papers or credit cards, high-priced goods, such as high-grade watches, or gift boxes for these goods.
The present invention relates also to hologram application labels suitable for such applications.
The hologram laminates and the hologram labels according to the present invention having a special structure such that, when they are applied to a substrate followed by separation, a protective film as the surface film is separated while leaving a part of a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the hologram, or otherwise causes the separation of other layer while leaving a part of a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the separated portion, or when the exposed hologram is separated, the hologram is elongated, and that, as a result, in any event, a clear evidence of the separation is left.
The hologram per se is a product of photographic technology known for long, and has been formed by applying interference fringes, produced by interference of two laser beams, that is, reference light and object light containing information of an object, onto a photographic plate and conducting development to obtain the hologram as a silver salt photograph. In recent years, a relief hologram formed by applying interference fringes to a photosensitive resin and conducting development to record the interference fringes as concaves and convexes on the surface of the resin has become possible to be mass-duplicated by virtue of a duplication technique using a resin, and has become extensively used in various applications. In particular, since the hologram is difficult to produce, the hologram has been applied, as one of measures for the prevention of forgery, to various articles.
On the other hand, a volume hologram is among the holograms. In the volume hologram, interference fringes are three dimensionally recorded in the thicknesswise direction of a photosensitive resin. For example, the development of photosensitive resins and the development of peripheral technology in recent years have enabled mass production of the volume hologram. Although the volume hologram is duplicated using a photosensitive resin, the mechanical strength thereof is lower than that of the relief hologram formed of a fully cured resin. Further, in the application of the volume hologram to various applications, direct fabrication into a hologram layer is difficult. This restricts the prevention of forgery.
The volume hologram is difficult to produce as with the relief hologram. However, when a person obtains a genuine hologram, is separated from the hologram applied site, and is then applied to other article, since the hologram per se is genuine, it is very difficult to judge whether or not an illegal act has been made.
For this reason, various techniques have been proposed for preventing the replacement of the genuine hologram particularly in the latter hologram.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 86565/1998 describes a hologram laminate comprising a substrate and, applied onto the substrate, a hologram having thereon a transparent protective sheet, wherein distribution of adhesive strength is provided within the face of any one of an adhesive layer for adhering a transparent protective sheet to a hologram and an adhesive layer for adhering the hologram to a substrate and an attempt to conduct separation causes breaking of the hologram, thereby preventing the replacement of the hologram.
In order to create the distribution of the adhesive strength, two types of adhesives are used. This complicates working. Further, when different types of adhesives are used, there is a fear that the adoption of this technique becomes apparent from the appearance due to the difference in refractive index between these types of adhesives.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 133552/1998 describes the same layer construction as described above, except that the tackiness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer between the protective film and the volume hologram layer is made lower than the tackiness of pressure-sensitive adhesive layer between the substrate and the volume hologram layer. In this technique, an attempt to conduct separation, a xe2x80x9cpeel linexe2x80x9d is formed at a right angle to the direction of the separation, leaving an evidence of the separation.
Since, however, the peel line is not previously formed at a predetermined position but formed in the course of the separation, the state of the formation of the peel line varies depending upon, for example, the direction pulled and the force applied in the separation. Therefore, the certainty of the formation of the peel line is open to question.
Accordingly, it is an object of the first invention to provide a hologram laminate and a hologram label which has no problem in the production process thereof, has certainty in the process for attaining the forgery preventive effect, and can make it difficult to find out the evidence of the working for forgery preventive purposes.
In addition to use in display of three-dimensional images, measurement, optical elements and the like, the hologram, by virtue of the necessity of advanced techniques and specialty apparatus in the production of the hologram and the difficulty of forging the hologram, is often applied to materials for verifying that the holder is truly a qualified person, such as identification cards or papers, or to goods and the like which should be verified to be genuine.
For example, for some credit cards, a hologram is stacked onto the surface thereof to verify that the card has been prepared through prescribed procedures. Further, a hologram is formed on a part of the surface of gold notes having values similar to money, such as tickets for goods. Furthermore, a hologram is often applied onto the surface of goods, for example, the surface of the case for selling of high-grade watches and the surface of the cassette half of videotapes having a fear of unauthorized tapes being spread.
In all the above cases, when the hologram is illegally separated and is successfully diverted to other object, since the hologram per se is not a forged one, a credit card, which is not originally valid, is seen like a valid one. In this case, also in the case of forged gold notes or goods, erroneous assumption of the forged notes or goods as genuine notes or goods are likely to occur.
These adherends, onto which the hologram is applied, have respective values. Gold notes and goods usually have economical values within the face value or the price of the genuine goods. On the other hand, since credit cards guarantee credit per se, in some cases, there is a fear of a vast sum of money being lost. Therefore, the prevention of the forgery of the credit card is of great social significance.
In the credit card, in addition to the hologram, a photograph of the face or an autograph of the holder is provided on the surface of the card from the viewpoint of ensuring the security. If the hologram is integral with and inseparable from the credit card, it is difficult to conduct forgery. In fact, however, unfortunately, it is not impossible to separate the hologram from the credit card although this separation is difficult.
Therefore, a person obtains an unused credit card, conducts necessary working, and applies a hologram separated from a properly published credit card onto the worked credit card, the forged credit card apparently should be regarded as a genuine one.
Accordingly, it is an object of the second invention to provide a hologram laminate, having high forgery preventive properties, wherein, in objects typified by credit cards and the like, for each object, for example, for each card, inherent information has been made inseparable from the hologram, and a process for producing the same.
As described above, for some credit cards, a hologram is stacked onto a photograph of the face or an autograph provided on the surface of the credit card. In this case, however, when the hologram is illegally separated and is successfully diverted to other object, since the hologram per se is not a forged one, a credit card, which is not originally valid, is seen like a valid one. In this case, also in the case of forged gold notes or goods, erroneous assumption of the forged notes or goods as genuine notes or goods are likely to occur.
In the forgery of an unused substrate for credit cards, since any forgery preventive means, such as watermark in paper money, is not used in the substrate for credit cards, the outside of the substrate can be duplicated by the photomechanical process.
Likewise, for various certificates, securities, stock certificates, gold notes and the like, a ground tint or the like is printed on papers to prevent forgery. The forgery, however, is not impossible. Although the judgment of the forgery is possible, magnification or a special technique has often been required for the judgment.
Forgery of these papers incurs a loss corresponding to the preparation cost. In addition, the economical loss caused by the use of the forged papers is huge. Therefore, taking measures to prevent the forgery is of high social significance.
Accordingly, it is an object of the third invention to provide an improved product wherein, regarding not only credit cards or the like but also various articles in a sheet form or articles in other forms, for example, patterns, such as ground tints or figures, or coloration formed mainly by printing and the like cannot be easily duplicated by mere copying of the shape and color tone.
In recent years, the volume hologram, by virtue of the difficulty of forging the hologram per se, has become used as the so-called security label, for example, in the application onto identification cards or papers or as breaking seal of confidential documents and the like, and in the application onto CD. In this hologram, however, there is a fear of the hologram-applied medium being forged in such a manner that a hologram laminate is separated from the hologram-applied medium and is again applied.
In order to prevent the forgery of the hologram-applied medium by the re-application, a construction has been used wherein, upon the separation of a hologram laminate, the hologram laminate is broken and even the re-application of the hologram laminate cannot reproduce the original state before the separation. Such hologram laminates include a type wherein, after the application of the hologram laminate, an attempt to separate the hologram laminate causes the separation of the substrate alone and a type wherein, after the application of the hologram laminate, an attempt to separate the hologram laminate causes an adhesive to be partially left. Leaving of a part of the hologram laminate poses a problem in applications where, after the use of a label for the judgment on whether the object is a genuine one or a forged one, the label is removed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 86565/1998 and 153944/1998 and the like describe a method wherein the dynamical properties of the volume hologram layer and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer are optimized so that an attempt to separate a hologram laminate causes breaking of the hologram layer, and a method wherein distribution is provided in the peel strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive so that an attempt to separate a hologram laminate causes breaking of the hologram layer. In the method wherein the hologram-applied medium is separated, in some cases, the hologram laminate can be separated without breaking the hologram layer. Therefore, the forgery preventive effect is not perfect, and a higher level of security has been demanded in the art. Further, in this hologram laminate, the forgery preventive effect by the breaking of the hologram layer varies depending upon the adhesion to media, on which the hologram laminate is applied.
Accordingly, it is an object of the fourth invention to provide a volume hologram laminate and a label for the preparation of a volume hologram laminate which, upon the separation of the hologram laminate from the hologram-applied medium, can surely cause breaking of the hologram layer and, at the same time, enables the hologram laminate in its broken part left on the medium to be easily removed from the application medium, such as an identification card or paper, and, in addition, can be suitably used for application media having various adhesive properties.
First Invention
According to the first invention, in the application of a hologram onto an object, the adhesive strength between the protective film and the pressure-sensitive adhesive in contact with the protective film is partially differentiated. In this constitution, an attempt to remove the protective film causes a part of the pressure-sensitive adhesive to be disadvantageously left on the hologram, leaving an evidence for the separation of the hologram. Further, according to the present invention, preferably, the adhesive strength between the hologram and the substrate is brought to a value larger than 1% tensile strength of the hologram. In this constitution, an attempt to separate the hologram causes the hologram to be elongated, leaving an evidence for the separation of the hologram.
The first embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising: a substrate; a hologram layer provided on the substrate through a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and a transparent film provided on the hologram layer through a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the adhesive strength between the substrate and the hologram layer being larger than the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the transparent film, the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the transparent film is larger than the adhesive strength between the first portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the transparent film is peeled off, the first portion is left on the transparent film side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the transparent film is smaller than the adhesive strength between the second portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the transparent film is peeled off, the second portion is left on the hologram layer.
The second embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the first embodiment, a layer for lowering the adhesive strength between the transparent film and the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is partially provided between the transparent film and the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The third embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the first embodiment, a layer for enhancing the adhesive strength between the transparent film and the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is partially provided between the transparent film and the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The fourth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in any one of the first to third embodiments, the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the substrate is larger than 1% tensile strength of the hologram.
The fifth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label comprising a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer as the lowermost layer, a hologram layer, a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and a transparent film as the uppermost layer stacked in that order, the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the transparent film is larger than the adhesive strength between the first portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the transparent film is peeled off, the first portion is left on the transparent film side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the transparent film is smaller than the adhesive strength between the second portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the transparent film is peeled off, the second portion is left on the hologram layer.
The sixth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in the fifth embodiment, a layer for lowering the adhesive strength between the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the transparent film is partially provided between the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the transparent film.
The seventh embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in the fifth embodiment, a layer for enhancing the adhesive strength between the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the transparent film is partially provided between the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the transparent film.
The eighth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in any one of the fifth to seventh embodiments, the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the substrate is larger than 1% tensile strength of the hologram layer.
The ninth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in any one of the fifth to eighth embodiments, a release sheet is additionally stacked on the underside of the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The tenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising: a substrate; and, provided on the substrate in the following order, a hologram layer stacked on the substrate through a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a first transparent film stacked on the hologram layer through a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on the underside of the transparent film, and a second transparent film stacked on the hologram layer through a third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the adhesive strength between the substrate and the first transparent film being larger than the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the second transparent film, the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the second transparent film is larger than the adhesive strength between the first portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the second transparent film is peeled off, the first portion is left on the second transparent film side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the second transparent film is smaller than the adhesive strength between the second portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the second transparent film is peeled off, the second portion is left on the hologram layer.
The eleventh embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the tenth embodiment, a layer for lowering the adhesive strength between the second transparent film and the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is partially provided between the second transparent film and the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The twelfth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the tenth embodiment, a layer for enhancing the adhesive strength between the second transparent film and the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is partially provided between the second transparent film and the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The thirteenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in any one of the tenth to twelfth embodiments, the adhesive strength between the first transparent film and the substrate is larger than 1% tensile strength of the hologram.
The fourteenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label comprising a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer as the lowermost layer, a first transparent film, a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a hologram layer, a third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and a second transparent film as the uppermost layer stacked in that order on top of one another, the adhesive strength between the substrate and the first transparent film being larger than the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the second transparent film, the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the second transparent film is larger than the adhesive strength between the first portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the second transparent film is peeled off, the first portion is left on the second transparent film side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the second. transparent film is smaller than the adhesive strength between the second portion and the hologram layer and, hence, when the second transparent film is peeled off, the second portion is left on the hologram layer.
The fifteenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in the fourteenth embodiment, a layer for lowering the adhesive strength between the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the second transparent film is partially provided between the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the second transparent film.
The sixteenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in the fourteenth embodiment, a layer for enhancing the adhesive strength between the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the second transparent film is partially provided between the third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the second transparent film.
The seventeenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in any one of the fourteenth to sixteenth embodiments, the adhesive strength between the first transparent film and the substrate is larger than 1% tensile strength of the hologram layer.
The eighteenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label wherein, in any one of the fourteenth to seventeenth embodiments, a release sheet is additionally stacked on the underside of the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The nineteenth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising: a substrate; a hologram layer stacked on the substrate through a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and a transparent film stacked on the hologram layer through a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the adhesive strength between the substrate and the hologram layer being smaller than the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the transparent film, the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the hologram layer is larger than the adhesive strength between the first portion and the substrate and, hence, when the hologram layer is separated from the substrate, the first portion is left on the hologram layer side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the hologram layer is smaller than the adhesive strength between the second portion and the substrate and, hence, when the hologram layer is separated from the substrate, the second portion is left on the substrate.
The twentieth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising: a substrate; a hologram layer stacked on the substrate through a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and a transparent film stacked on the hologram layer through a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the adhesive strength between the substrate and the hologram layer being larger or smaller than the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the transparent film, both the first and second pressure-sensitive adhesive layers having a portion which, at the time of separation, is left on the overlying layer side and a portion which, at the time of separation, is left on the underlying layer side.
The twenty-first embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label comprising a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer as the lowermost layer, a hologram layer, a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and a transparent film as the uppermost layer stacked in that order on top of one another, the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the hologram layer is larger and, hence, when the hologram layer is peeled off, the first portion is left on the hologram layer side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the hologram layer is smaller.
The twenty-second embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising: a substrate; a hologram layer stacked on the substrate through a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; a first transparent film stacked on the underside of the hologram layer through a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and a second transparent film stacked on the hologram layer through a third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the adhesive strength between the substrate and the first transparent film being smaller than the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the second transparent film, the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the first transparent film is larger than the adhesive strength between the first portion and the substrate and, hence, when the first transparent film is peeled off, the first portion is left on the first transparent film side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the first transparent film is smaller than the adhesive strength between the second portion and the substrate and, hence, when the first transparent film is peeled off, the second portion is left on the substrate.
The twenty-third embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label comprising a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer as the lowermost layer, a first transparent film, a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a hologram layer, a third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and a second transparent film as the uppermost layer stacked in that order on top of one another, the adhesive strength between the substrate and the first transparent film being smaller than the adhesive strength between the hologram layer and the second transparent film, the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the first portion and the first transparent film is larger and, hence, when the first transparent film is peeled off, the first portion is left on the first transparent film side, the second portion having an adhesive property such that the adhesive strength between the second portion and the second transparent film is smaller.
The twenty-fourth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising: a substrate; a hologram layer stacked on the substrate through a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; a first transparent film stacked on the underside of the hologram layer through a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and a second transparent film stacked on the hologram layer through a third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the first to third pressure-sensitive adhesive layers having an adhesive property such that, for each of the first to third pressure-sensitive adhesive layers, the adhesive strength between the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a layer overlying the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is different from the adhesive strength between the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a layer underlying the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and each of the first to third pressure-sensitive adhesive layers has a portion which, at the time of separation in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, is left on the side of a layer overlying the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a portion which, at the time of separation in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, is left on a layer underlying the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The twenty-fifth embodiment of the first invention relates to a hologram label comprising a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer as the lowermost layer, a first transparent film, a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a hologram layer, a third pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and a second transparent film as the uppermost layer stacked in that order on top of one another, the first to third pressure-sensitive adhesive layers having different adhesive strengths and each having a portion which, at the time of separation in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, is left on the side of a layer overlying the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a portion which, at the time of separation in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, is not left on the side of the layer overlying the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
Second Invention
According to the second invention, there is provided a highly forgery-preventive hologram laminate, for use in objects typified by credit cards, wherein, for each object, for example, for one card, inherent information has been made unseparable from the hologram, and a process for producing the same.
The first embodiment of the second invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising at least a volume hologram layer, an information-recorded transparent film, and an adherend substrate stacked in that order on top of one another from the outermost surface side.
The second embodiment of the second invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the above embodiment, a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is stacked between the volume hologram layer and the information-recorded transparent film and/or between the information-recorded transparent film and the adherend substrate.
The third embodiment of the second invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the above embodiment, a transparent protective film is stacked on the surface of the volume hologram layer.
The fourth embodiment of the second invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the above embodiment, the transparent protective film is stacked onto the volume hologram layer through a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The fifth embodiment of the second invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising a first transparent film, a first transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a volume hologram layer, a second transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, an information-recorded second transparent film, a third transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and an adherend substrate stacked in that order on top of one another from the outermost surface side.
The sixth embodiment of the second invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the first embodiment, the peel strength of the second transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is larger than the peel strength of the third transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The seventh embodiment of the second invention relates to a process for producing a hologram laminate, comprising the steps of: stacking a transparent film on the surface of an adherend substrate and recording information on the transparent film, the stacking step and the information recording step being carried out in no special order; and putting a hologram label, comprising at least two layers of a volume hologram layer and a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer stacked on top of the other, on top of the information-recorded transparent film so that the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer faces the information-recorded transparent film.
The eighth embodiment of the second invention relates to a process for producing a hologram laminate, wherein, in the seventh embodiment, a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has been previously stacked on the underside of the transparent film.
The ninth embodiment of the second invention relates to a process for producing a hologram laminate, wherein, in the above embodiment, a transparent protective film is stacked on the surface of the volume hologram layer.
The tenth embodiment of the second invention relates to a process for producing a hologram laminate, wherein, in the above embodiment, the transparent protective film is stacked onto the volume hologram layer through a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The eleventh embodiment of the second invention relates to a process for producing a hologram laminate, comprising the steps of: providing two labels, one of which is a hologram label comprising a first transparent film, a first transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a volume hologram layer, and a second transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer stacked in that order on top of one another from the outermost surface side and the other is a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive label comprising a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer stacked onto a transparent film; stacking the transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive label onto the surface of an adherend substrate and recording information on the transparent film as the surface layer in the transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive label, the stacking step and the information recording step being carried out in no special order; and stacking the hologram label onto the information-recorded transparent film so that the second transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer faces the information-recorded transparent film.
The twelfth embodiment of the second invention relates to a process for producing a hologram laminate, wherein, in the above embodiment, the peel strength of the second transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is larger than the peel strength of the third transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
Third Invention
According to the third invention, there are provided improved products including credit cards and various other articles in sheet or other forms, wherein patterns, such as ground tints and figures, coloration and the like, which are mainly formed by printing or the like, cannot be easily reproduced by mere copying of the shape and the hue.
According to the present invention, the improved products could have been provided by providing a hologram layer in the interior of a decorated substrate per se, or by stacking a hologram layer on a decorated substrate.
The first embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram composite comprising a volume hologram layer fixed in at least a part of a decorated substrate.
The second embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the above embodiment, the substrate has been decorated by coloration or by imparting a pattern onto the substrate.
The third embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram composite, wherein, in the above embodiment, the decorated substrate partially has cut off portions and the volume hologram layer is fitted and fixed into the cut off portions.
The fourth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram composite wherein, in any one of the above embodiments, a transparent protective layer is additionally stacked on the whole upper surface thereof and/or the whole lower surface thereof.
The fifth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram composite wherein, in any one of the above embodiments, the decoration and/or recorded information are provided on the upside of the substrate in its portion fitted with the volume hologram layer.
The sixth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram composite wherein, in any one of the above embodiments, the decoration and/or recorded information are provided on the upside of the substrate in its portion not fitted with the volume hologram layer.
The seventh embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate, wherein, in the first embodiment, the volume hologram layer is stacked on at least a part of the decorated substrate.
The eighth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate, wherein, in the seventh embodiment, the substrate has been decorated by coloration or by imparting a pattern onto the substrate.
The ninth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the seventh or eighth embodiment, the volume hologram layer has been stacked through a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The tenth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate, wherein, in the above embodiment, a transparent protective layer is additionally stacked on the surface of the volume hologram layer.
The eleventh embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate wherein, in the above embodiment, the transparent protective layer has been stacked on the volume hologram layer through a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
The twelfth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate comprising: a decorated substrate; and, stacked on at least a part of the decorated substrate in the following order, a first transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a volume hologram layer, a second transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and a transparent protective layer.
The thirteenth embodiment of the third invention relates to a hologram laminate, wherein, in any one of the above embodiments, information has been recorded above the stacked volume hologram layer.
Fourth Invention
According to the fourth invention, there are provided a volume hologram laminate and a label for the preparation of a volume hologram laminate, wherein, upon the separation of a hologram laminate from a medium with a hologram applied thereto, the hologram layer is surely damaged and a part of the hologram laminate, which has been left after damaging, can be easily removed from a medium with the hologram applied thereto, such as an identification card (ID card), and, in addition, which are suitable for use in media having various adhesive properties.
It has been found that the provision of a cut in at least one layer constituting a volume hologram laminate can provide a volume hologram laminate having the above properties, which has led to the completion of the present invention.
Accordingly, the volume hologram laminate of the present invention comprises at least a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layers a volume hologram layer, and a protective layer stacked in that order on top of one another, a cut being provided in at least one of the layers constituting the volume hologram laminate.